Chapel, my bosses almost 90 year old mother has a 1997 (IIRC) Volvo 850 sedan (I know you'd prefer a wagon), green/tan, with like 100k miles on it I think (I know they're low for the year). The car has been garaged and very well kept. It doesn't get driven now because it use to belong to her husband who died some time ago. I went over there and fired it up last year (had to jump it) and it seemed to run great.

There is an IX or whatever awd version like 3 miles from my place. Car is damn near mint (test drove it a few months ago) owner is a bimmer guy that knows his isht. but it's high miles (like over 200k) and he wants 5grand for it. Other then that it would be perfect.

So, as for the new car: my wife and I went to look at it. I drove it. Drove nice. Looked amazingly straight.
Wife drove it, got back, got out, pulled me aside and said "Buy this car, now."
I later found out when she took it for a test drive, the owner had to ask her to slow down...

Interesting side bit:
So, I tell the guy I'll buy it. Give him my offer. He accepts, shakes my hand on it. Then I say "Do you want a deposit now or do you want it all next week when I pick it up?" (Car needs an HVAC control unit and O2 sensor, owner agreed to replace it before I even made an offer)
He says "Next week is fine, no need for a deposit."
As I go to leave he goes "So, should I take all the ads down? We're good, right?"
I say "yeah, are you sure you don't want a deposit" he says no, shakes my hand and I tell him I'll see him tomorrow at BavAuto. (BMW show in NH)

So, I go to BavAuto and there's the car... with a ****ing for sale sign in the window.
I take the sign, crumple it up and throw it in the trash. I go to the entrance, call the kid (he's like 17) and say "Hey, where are you? Wanted to meet up?"
he's at the car, so I head over to talk to him.
I ask him "So, are you sure you don't want a deposit? I don't want you selling this out from under me." He says "My dad told me that I shouldn't take the for sale sign off until I have money"
I say "Yeah, so that's why I asked a bunch of times if you want a deposit... so wait here and I'll go get the cash..."

So, I leave, go to the ATM and get $200 to give him. I hand it over and say "See you on Saturday. Let me know how the HVAC and O2 sensor replacement go..."

Now, I'll say the dad is right, he SHOULD have gotten a deposit yesterday... I wouldn't go on a handshake deal from a random Craigslist buyer... There's also the possibility that his dad didn't want him taking a deposit yesterday because he thought he could get more for it at BavAuto... either way, deposit is down, informal paperwork is done... pick it up next Saturday morning.